Another year of E3 Press Conferences and Showcases have come and gone, displaying an impressive number of games coming from EA, Microsoft, Bethesda, Ubisoft, Square Enix, and Nintendo over the next year. On top of that, a number of smaller streams took place for games that wouldn't receive widespread coverage including the PC Gaming Show, Limited Run Games, the E3 VR Showcase, and the Kinda Funny Games Showcase.
While AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077, Watch Dogs Legion, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening were among the best games of E3 2019, the show was also full of exciting new indie games. From Microsoft’s conference to the Kinda Funny Games Showcase and everything in between, here are the 15 best indie games shown during E3 2019!
15 Police Stories
Originally a Kickstarter project, Police Stories is a top-down shooter that emphasizes tactics and player decision. Developed by Mighty Morgan and published by HypeTrain Digital, play as John Rimes and Rick Jones in singleplayer, or cooperatively online with friends.
Police Stories releases on September 19 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
14 Afterparty
In Afterparty, players will control two recently deceased best friends - Milo and Lola. Facing an eternity in Hell, outdrinking Satan is their only chance to get back to Earth. Afterparty is the next game from the development team behind the adventure game Oxenfree, Night School Games, an independent studio created by Telltale Games and Disney alumni.
Afterparty will release in 2019.
13 Freedom Finger
Announced during the first Kinda Funny Games Showcase, Freedom Finger runs with the tagline ‘Shoot 'em Up, Punch 'em Up, F&#$ 'em Up!’ Developed by Wide Right Interaction, this music-driven side-scrolling shooter stars Nolan North, John DiMaggio, Eric Bauza, and Sam Riegel.
Freedom Finger is coming to consoles, PC, and Mac in 2019.
12 The Sinking City
Inspired by the works of legendary writer H. P. Lovecraft, The Sinking City puts players in the shoes of a 1920’s investigator that's looking into a mysterious flood in Oakmont, Massachusetts. A blend of Sherlock Holmes detective gameplay and Lovecraftian horror, The Sinking City was also one of the best horror games at E3 2019.
The Sinking City releases on June 27 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. A Nintendo Switch version is coming soon.
11 SkateBIRD
Another year has come and gone without the announcement of Skate 4, but it looks like Glass Bottom Games is bringing the next best thing. In development for PC, SkateBIRD is a game about trying your best. Play as a tiny Hawk named Tony and “Grind on bendy straws, kickflip over staplers, and carve killer lines through cardboard and sticky tape parks.”
SkateBIRD will release in 2019.
10 Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hollow Knight released to critical acclaim in February 2017, but it was the release on Nintendo Switch in June 2018 that helped boost its 1 million sales to the 2.8 million it sits at today. A sequel to the popular Metroidvania, Hollow Knight: Silksong places the Hallownest's princess, the Hornet, front and center after being captured and taken to a new land.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is being developed for Windows, Mac, Linux & Nintendo Switch.
9 Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
Battle Royale has evolved. Fallout 76's Battle Royale mode announcement was one of the biggest surprises this year, but Fall Guys is easily one of the most anticipated. In Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, 100 competitors will battle it out solo or in a team, making their way through challenges and obstacle courses until one victor remains.
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is coming to PlayStation 4 and PC in 2020.
8 Carrion
Described as a ‘reverse horror experience,’ Carrion puts a twist on the horror game genre by putting players in the role of the monster. Play as an amorphous creature stalking and consuming those that imprisoned you as you grow, evolve, and learn new abilities.
Carrion is releasing on Steam in 2020.
7 Sayonara: Wild Hearts
Announced at last years The Game Awards, Sayonara: Wild Hearts is a pop album video game from Swedish developer Simogo, best known for DEVICE 6 and Year Walk. Sayonara: Wild Hearts features a custom written vocal pop soundtrack and a stylish cast of characters based on tarot cards.
Sayonara: Wild Hearts is coming to Nintendo Switch and the Apple Arcade in 2019.
6 Stronghold: Warlords
Age of Empires II Remastered wasn’t the only big real-time strategy game shown during E3 2019. Announced during the Kinda Funny Showcase, Stronghold: Warlords takes players to the far east for the first time. Featuring cities in both Japan and China, players will be able to take control of Mongol hordes, imperial warriors and samurai clansmen.
Stronghold: Warlords is coming to Steam in 2020.
5 Spiritfarer
Spiritfarer is a cozy management game about dying. Play as Stella, a ferry master who befriends and cares for spirits before they go into the afterlife.
Spiritfarer is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, and Linux in 2020.
4 12 Minutes
Perhaps the biggest surprise hit from Microsoft's conference came in the form of the Groundhog Day-style adventure game, 12 Minutes. Developed by Luis Antonio, 12 Minutes is an interactive thriller about a man trapped in a twelve-minute time loop that ends with his wife being accused of murder and his untimely death.
12 Minutes is coming to Xbox One and PC in 2020.
3 RPG TIME: The Legend of Wright
RPG TIME: The Legend of Wright is what happens when you mix a child's imagination and an RPG with the art style's of both Drawn To Death and Yoshi’s Crafted World.
RPG TIME: The Legend of Wright is coming to Xbox One, PC, iOS, and Android in 2020.
2 Way to the Woods
Solo developed by Anthony Tan, Way to the Woods is a third-person adventure game that blends the innocence of Bambi with the animation style of Studio Ghibli. The story follows a deer and a fawn trying to find their way home in what appears to be a post-apocalyptic Earth, with the remnants of humanity scattered.
Way to the Woods is coming to Xbox One and PC in 2020.
1 My Friend Pedro
Due to release a couple of days from now, My Friend Pedro is a side-scrolling shoot em' up about a man fighting crime alongside a sentient banana named Pedro. Developed by DeadToast Entertainment, My Friend Pedro is a "violent ballet" that takes players through the violent underworld, using stylish aiming and slow motion to line up targets in any direction and knock them down.
My Friend Pedro releases June 20 for Nintendo Switch and PC.
Sony’s decision to skip E3 in 2019 left the industry questioning what this meant for both the event and the company. After all, their annual press conference was once known for indie games announcements like Entwined, Outlast, or the PSVR game Moss. It’s fantastic to see that everyone from Microsoft to Kinda Funny Games brought their A-game when it comes to high-quality indie games this year. 2019 is shaping up to be a huge year for indie games and these are 15 games you won’t want to miss.
